The Red-Hot “Ice
Queen” :: By Lindzi Scharf :: Originally written for Juicy
Magazine.

She may play the “Ice
Queen,” but don’t call Marsha Thomason cold. This British actress is
heating up television screens on NBC’s Las Vegas. If you chat
with her, you’ll discover Thomason is a fireball with a
determination that’s undeniable. She emphasizes her goal of getting
past one-dimensional roles to “build an eclectic body of work.” She
skirts around questions that could be taken the wrong way. And she
isn’t afraid to admit that guys constantly ask her out. Does her
audacity come from being an actress? She clarifies, “Oh, no. Dawling,
it’s because I’m fabulous.”

But don’t misconstrue
her confidence for cockiness, this feisty Brit recognizes her
fortune. Thomason admits, “There are a lot of people trying to do
what I do. I’ve been fairly successful consistently. I worry that my
luck will run out and that it will all go away.”

If Thomason’s track
record is any indication of where she’s headed, she need not worry.
She first found her way to America through a casting for Black
Knight with Martin Lawrence. Thomason reminisces, “That was a
big break. They were looking for an English girl. Often, they’ll
come in from America to England. An American usually gets it in the
end anyway. I didn’t go in with a negative attitude, but nobody ever
gets the role.”

Next
thing Thomason knew she was in North Carolina shooting the film. “I
couldn’t believe I was in America. I had only been to New York five
days prior to that. There I was in Wilmington filming. It was a trip
– working with Martin and being on a 20th Century Fox set
in period costumes.”

Prior to her American
debut, Thomason completed several television roles and films back
home. She soon found herself loving LA and looking for work by
splitting time between the city and home. Thomason didn’t have to
search too far. Back home she landed a number of projects including
Pure, an independent film alongside Keira Knightley, pre-Pirates
of the Caribbean.

Soon after, Thomason
found herself back in America and co-starring with Eddie Murphy in
The Haunted Mansion. The comedian and budding actress hit it
off – creating a scene even when they weren’t on camera. Between
takes, Thomason taught the comedian “cockney-rhyming slang.” She
explains, “It’s something that’s been in cockney for years. Instead
of saying, ‘I’m going upstairs,’ they’ll say, ‘Apples and pears
means stairs.’ Everything rhymes.”

Was Murphy a quick
study? She reminisces of a moment you won’t likely find on the
Disney DVD: “Sometimes he’d get a little crude. He’d start free
styling and making up his own shit. It’s very funny.”

A workaholic by
nature, Thomason additionally began work on Las Vegas. On the
series, she plays Neesa “The Ice Queen” Holt, a pit boss within a
swanky city hotel. Thomason acknowledges she had a few reservations
about the project: “I was actually nervous because the commitment to
a TV show [in America] is so much bigger. Over here you have to sign
contracts for years. I was terrified truth be known.”

Fortunately, the
cast’s chemistry alleviated her concerns. Thomason confirms, “We all
get on so well. I know lots of people say that, but I’d just skirt
over the issue if it wasn’t true. The crew is great. I recently
organized a night out. We had a great time.”

She won’t divulge
details of their outing. She teases, “There’s photographic evidence
unfortunately. They’re being passed around set. Thank goodness it
isn’t me.”

Wouldn’t the tabloids
love to get hold of that! After all, the show features recognizable
cast members including Molly Sims (model, MTV hostess), James Caan (Elf),
Nikki Cox (Nutty Professor II: The Klumps), and James Duhamel
(All My Children).

When pressed, Thomason
still won’t divulge details of their outting. She laughs, “I mean,
really! Does anybody ever answer that question? I can’t go on the
record with that.”

Fair enough. Slight
change of subject. Did she go into the show with any preconceived
notions about cast members? It seems Thomason approaches such
situations rationally. “I don’t have preconceptions about the people
I work with. Everybody has stories to tell about everybody else. The
best thing to do is to take people as you find them. I go in with a
clean slate and see what’s thrown at me,” she responds.

While Thomason always
stood out in a crowd, these days she’s noticed, more often, from
show’s popularity. She says, “I’m stunned by how much people love
the show. It’s doing really well. I was in my car and this one guy
was like, ‘Hey – You’re on Las Vegas. You’re huge.’ I was like,
‘Okay, dude. Not yet.’”

This would leave one
to wonder – if she’s not feeling the affects of fame yet, when will
she? Thomason claims, “It won’t be gauged off the public recognizing
me. I don’t think about fame. It’s not something I’m interested in.
I know that sounds ridiculous. Because of the nature of what I do,
fame often comes up. I don’t know when I’ll feel like I made it. I’m
interested in working and acting.”

It becomes apparent
this is a woman with a one-track mind. Is it all work and no play?
No way. However, it’s clear Thomason has a specific agenda to
discuss and dating isn’t one of them. That didn’t stop us from
asking.

What’s the dating
scene like? She responds, “I wouldn’t know. I’ve been dating the
same guy for five years.”

Unclear of where he’s
stationed (which is it American or England?!), we take a different
route. How are guys in America different than the blokes back home?
Thomason answers, “Americans are much more forward. Guys ask me out
on dates… in a coffee shop… in an audition. Guys are so forward.”

We’ve gotten this girl
to dish as much as she’s willing to. We give up for the time being
and focus on what’s next. This “Ice Queen” can be seen next in My
Baby’s Daddy with Eddie Griffin.

With more than a
couple of comedies and a promising series underway, it’s safe to say
things will continue to be red hot for Marsha Thomason. Thus far, a
combination of luck and timing mixed with her fearless, go-getter
attitude has served her well.

Part dreamer, part realist, Thomason is something else.
She reminisces, “When I was a kid, I never imagined I would live in
a different town other than Manchester. I’m so far away from home. I
realize that I’m a survivor. I came here on my own.” She pauses. Then, continues to reflect, “You really don’t
know where life is going to lead you. It’s such an adventure.”

It’s safe to say the adventure has
only just begun for the brazen Brit.